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| FPC, Lowville, NY |
The first criterion, as we saw in the previous post, is, "The church is made up of regenerated believers in Jesus." It is worth our time to give pause to the meaning of "regenerated believers."
In general, regeneration in a theological sense takes place when an individual experiences "a new life in Christ," We sometimes call this experience being" born again" or "a conversion." In the evangelical churches, spiritual rebirth is common and the generally preferred way of becoming part of a church. "True" Christians, those who are saved, are born again Christians. In ecumenical churches, fewer people are "born again" in the evangelical sense although not a few discover that a serious Christian faith changes them in significant ways.
An important point in the Mars Hill definition of the church is the clear implication that regeneration is a one-time experience that is at some point completed. "The church is made up of regenerated believers." Regenerated is used here in the past tense as if it is an action that is completed. The problem is that when we look at the lives, the values, the attitudes, and the work of "regenerated believers," what we invariably find is a mixed bag of "stuff" that is all too human even among the very best of them. Faith is a journey, not any one single event, however life-changing that event might be. Being "born again" in faith is, in fact, much like being born physically. Although we focus a lot of our attention on the moment when we are expelled from the uterus, "birth" is a much longer process, one that begins at conception, develops for nine months, enters the world, and continues to develop for years after that. By the same token, spiritual regeneration continues for as long as we live. For this reason, it would be better to say that, "the church, at its best, is made up of believers who are intentionally growing in their faith, service, and understanding."
This is not just a matter of words; rather, it has to do with humility and with acknowledging the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Those who proclaim themselves "saved" in the past tense can come across as spiritually haughty and judgmental along the lines of the New Testament portrayal of the Pharisees. They also tend to be cliquish. They only want to associate with others who are, like them, "saved." In light of our continuing human limitations, the safest and most faithful path for us as Christians is one that treads lightly, makes peace, and embraces humility. It is a path we walk as we celebrate the continuing regeneration we experience in the Spirit. Amen.
In general, regeneration in a theological sense takes place when an individual experiences "a new life in Christ," We sometimes call this experience being" born again" or "a conversion." In the evangelical churches, spiritual rebirth is common and the generally preferred way of becoming part of a church. "True" Christians, those who are saved, are born again Christians. In ecumenical churches, fewer people are "born again" in the evangelical sense although not a few discover that a serious Christian faith changes them in significant ways.
An important point in the Mars Hill definition of the church is the clear implication that regeneration is a one-time experience that is at some point completed. "The church is made up of regenerated believers." Regenerated is used here in the past tense as if it is an action that is completed. The problem is that when we look at the lives, the values, the attitudes, and the work of "regenerated believers," what we invariably find is a mixed bag of "stuff" that is all too human even among the very best of them. Faith is a journey, not any one single event, however life-changing that event might be. Being "born again" in faith is, in fact, much like being born physically. Although we focus a lot of our attention on the moment when we are expelled from the uterus, "birth" is a much longer process, one that begins at conception, develops for nine months, enters the world, and continues to develop for years after that. By the same token, spiritual regeneration continues for as long as we live. For this reason, it would be better to say that, "the church, at its best, is made up of believers who are intentionally growing in their faith, service, and understanding."
This is not just a matter of words; rather, it has to do with humility and with acknowledging the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Those who proclaim themselves "saved" in the past tense can come across as spiritually haughty and judgmental along the lines of the New Testament portrayal of the Pharisees. They also tend to be cliquish. They only want to associate with others who are, like them, "saved." In light of our continuing human limitations, the safest and most faithful path for us as Christians is one that treads lightly, makes peace, and embraces humility. It is a path we walk as we celebrate the continuing regeneration we experience in the Spirit. Amen.
